


Be Careful What you Wish For

by Amethyst Shard (AmethystShard)



Category: A-Team
Genre: Christmas, Gen, holiday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-20
Updated: 2010-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-13 21:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/141685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystShard/pseuds/Amethyst%20Shard





	Be Careful What you Wish For

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LemuelCork](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LemuelCork/gifts).



Murdock leaned against the bar next to Face, drink in hand. “What are you doing for Christmas?”

Face raised his eyebrows. "The usual. Stay home, lock the doors and wait for it to not be Christmas."

Murdock pouted. "Grinch."

Face sighed. Not everyone loved Christmas (and with good reason). Didn't make him Ebeneezer Scrooge. Explaining that to someone currently wearing a Santa hat, even though Christmas was still two days away, was likely a futile exercise. "Everything is closed. Traveling is nightmare..."

"Come on Face, where's your Christmas spirit?"

“At the bottom of this glass.” Face took a drink. "What are your plans?" Not that Face had to ask. B.A. and Murdock had started a tradition a few years earlier of giving out gifts to the kids at the youth center. They'd somehow talked Face into joining them once. The suit was way too hot, the beard had left a rash and after Murdock started calling him Rudolf, he swore he'd never do it again. He always made his annual donation to the orphanage of course, but Christmas day Face much preferred to stay at home with a glass of cognac and a book.

“Oh, you know. Deck the halls. Be merry. Thought I'd try and get some of the guys on my floor to go caroling.”

Face had encountered some of those other patients during his trips to the VA to breakout Murdock. Face could just picture Murdock trying to herd them together, playing conductor, everyone singing a different tune (those that weren't catatonic). The image was both amusing and a little scary.

Face turned to his right. “How about you, Hannibal?”

Hannibal simply shrugged. He had never given a straight answer to that question in all the years that Face had known him. They used to speculate. B.A. suspected he had a secret family stashed away somewhere. Murdock thought he went back to his home planet. Face figured he went to Hollywood Christmas parties to schmooze directors and have a drink or two with some pretty actress. Eventually they decided Hannibal just liked being mysterious and that they were likely never to find out unless the Colonel wanted them to know.

Face turned to B.A.

“My mama postponed Christmas until next month, so we can spend it together,” B.A. said with a wistful smile. Murdock opened his mouth, but B.A. cut him off before he could say a word. “No.”

Murdock opened and closed his mouth a few times, resembling a goldfish. “But you don't know what I was going to say!”

“Yeah, I do. You want to come. The answer is no. Mama will have enough to do without having to add another plate on the table.”

“Aw, I wouldn't eat much. You could feed me scraps under the table. Tell everyone I'm a stray dog you picked up.” Murdock whimpered and panted with his tongue hanging out, begging like a dog. B.A. swatted him away. Murdock jumped behind Face, growling.

Face absentmindedly petted him. Murdock started nuzzling against him in response. B.A. scowled, turning back to his drink (milk, and Face had no idea how he managed to do that in a bar), pretending not to know either of them.

Murdock pawed at his pockets, but Face didn't have any treats with him that day, so he scooped up a couple peanuts from the bowl on the bar and popped them into Murdock's mouth. Murdock munched on them happily. Face grinned back, until Murdock tried climbing up onto his lap and a wet tongue swiped up his cheek. Face whipped his head back, arms reflexively shoving Murdock, who toppled to the linoleum floor. “Ew, Murdock!” He used his shirt sleeve to wipe off the saliva. Murdock whimpered quietly, staring up at him with hurt puppy dog eyes.

Face had always wanted a dog as a kid. He had also wanted a brother. They say to be careful what you wish for. “You okay, Murdock?” Face held out his hand.

Murdock took it, smiled and bounced back up. “No problemo.” He slung his arm over Face shoulders, picking up his drink. Just like that, he was back to his normal self. Normal for Murdock, anyway.

“I can taste Mrs. Baracus' cooking already. Delicious,” Murdock said longingly.

B.A. nodded in agreement. “The best. And the answer is still no.”

Murdock's smile faltered a little, only Face noticed. “You should have seen my grandma's kitchen around Christmas. Pies of every flavor. Gingerbread men. Sugar cookies. There was always something baking.”

“Sounds great.” Growing up, Face had seen the typical Christmas scenes in the movies, where everyone was gathered around the table or the tree, and wondered if that was what it was really like for families. It seemed both alien and wonderful.

Murdock was looking at him thoughtfully. As if he could read his thoughts, he asked, “What was Christmas like at the orphanage?”

Face stared down at his glass. Almost empty. “They tried. Turkey dinner. Mass. And all the kids, at least the young ones, got a gift. It was just whatever the priests received from donations, never what anyone actually asked for...” Face grinned, though it was touched with a bit of sadness. “There was a lot of gift swapping throughout the rest of the week.” Face swirled his glass. “It wasn't...” Face paused trying to find the right words. “When you're young you don't really know any better. But there's still this sense that something is missing. That there should be more. Not more presents, just...”

Murdock squeezed his shoulder. Face glanced up and met Murdock's gaze. He could see in those eyes understanding. And something else. Not pity, but... empathy perhaps. Some days Murdock was an open book, other days he was a complete mystery.

A clink of glass hitting the counter distracted him. He turned his head to find Hannibal slipping off his bar stool. He patted Face's arm. “I should be going.” He smiled around his cigar. “See you boys after the new year.” Face nodded.

“Merry Christmas, Colonel,” Murdock replied cheerfully.

B.A. stood. “I should go too.” B.A. pulled out some cash and left it on the counter under his glass. Hannibal left without paying. Again.

And then there were two.

“Ride back to the V.A.?” asked Face.

Murdock nodded. Face paid the rest of the bill and they got up to leave.

“Tomorrow they'll be serving cranberry Jell-o and showing _It's a Wonderful Life._ ” Murdock grumbled “again” under his breath. “Want to come? You could help me decorate my tree. Well, it's not so much a tree as a coat rack, but I figure a little tinsel, a couple ornaments and some lights, no one will know the difference.”

Face rubbed a hand over his face. “As exciting as that sounds Murdock, I think I'll pass.” Murdock was quiet as they walked down the street to where Face's Corvette was parked. Worried that he might have hurt Murdock's feelings he added, “But thanks for asking.”

Murdock seemed to come back from whatever far off place his mind had wandered and smiled at Face. “Christmas at a mental ward. You don't know what you're missing, Faceman.”

Face unlocked the Corvette. “No, I guess I don't.”


End file.
